pivot

Language: en

🇬🇧 /ˈpɪvət/ 🇺🇸 /ˈpɪvət/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    A central point, pin, or shaft on which a mechanism turns or oscillates.; A person or thing on which something depends or around which things revolve; a focal point.; In basketball, a movement in which a player keeps one foot in place while moving the other foot in any direction.; In basketball, the player who plays near the basket; the center.; A strategic shift or change in direction, especially in business or politics.; In data analysis, a pivot table or pivot operation that reorganizes and summarizes data.
  2. verb
    To turn or rotate on or as if on a pivot.; To change direction or strategy, especially in business or politics.; To depend on or be centered around something.
  3. adjective
    Of central importance; on which other things depend.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable Plural: pivots 3rd sing.: pivots Past: pivoted Past part.: pivoted Pres part.: pivoting

Collocations

pivot pointpivot onpivot aroundpivot tablepivot tocentral pivot

Derivatives

pivotalpivotallypivoting

Synonyms

axishubfulcrumhingerotateswivelturn

Commonly confused

pivotal
EN: 'Pivotal' is the adjective meaning 'of crucial importance'; 'pivot' is the noun (central point) or verb (to turn/change direction).
fulcrum
EN: 'Fulcrum' specifically refers to the support point of a lever; 'pivot' is broader, referring to any central point of rotation or change.

Spelling tips

EN: Do not add an extra 'i' — it is 'pivot', not 'piviot'. The adjective form is 'pivotal', not 'pivotable'.

💬 Examples

  1. The door swung smoothly on its pivot.

  2. She was the pivot of the entire organization.

  3. The center used a pivot to get past the defender.

  4. Their pivot dominated the paint all night.

  5. The company made a pivot from hardware to software services.

  6. She created a pivot to summarize the quarterly sales figures.

  7. He pivoted on his heel and walked out of the room.

  8. The startup pivoted from social media to e-commerce.

  9. The argument pivots on the interpretation of a single clause.

  10. This is a pivot moment in the history of the nation.